Holllie Greene

Hi All, My dearest husband and I just returned from the county VSO. It did not go well...the VSO was more interested in flapping his jaws than listening to my questions. Anyway, he gave me tons of paperwork to be filled out by a doctor but seemed not to understand my lack of VA neurologist (he retired) and how I did have a civilian doctor for 25 years but I lost her to her pricey concierge practice. So, I see a new to me VA doctor next week, would it be the thing to do to ask him to fill out the paperwork, is this a conflict of interest? I am confused. Any advice, as always, is appreciated. HG

Thank you to all of you great fellow Veterans for your advice, positive thoughts, and kindness. I am in the process of gathering evidence (one more doctor's officer to go to) and will apply next week. Thank you again. HG

Hi, I was distracted and forgoit to add how apporox 2 years ago a lady from CDVA callked to see iuf I received the retro (affirmative) and I asked her (because I did noit unbderstand) about SMC L1 and SMC L and she transferred my call to the man who said "The VA made a mistake" and hung up the phone. WHAT? My husband is hauntewd by trhat statement too. We are expecting to mpay them for their mistake? What mistake? Talk about stress, if they made a mistake am I responsible? This is crazy. No wonder my MS is acting up and I have to use my rescue inhaler 5 times a day. Thanks for reading this. Take good care. HG

Hello Pwrslm and Buck52, Thank you for the info. No letter has been recieved to reduce anything...,it is my husband and I weighing whether I should put in, he has left his career/job and there is no going back. We worry about everything, in fact if you all have a topic that needs worrying, I'll do it!!! This entire business started when I found out I could get 10 points for a federal job because I was medical discharged from the Army, the Veteran Rep put in the paperwork ad I interviewed, was hired, and then received minimal monthly checks for asthma (which has gotten worse too---I have to use my rescue inhaler 5 times a day now) and after I was diagnosed with MS in 1995 I went to see that same Vet rep who filled out paperwork. I saw a local civilian neurologist until he quit then I decided to see the VA neurologist and he was very nice, I was his patient for 15 yeas until he retired in 2015. You all have given me hope, thank you so much. Also, I just turned 56 a dew months ago. Have a great day. HG

Hi jfrei, I am pre-911 veteran so he does not get that. A former doc at the VA filled out a form that eventually gave me/us SMC L-1 but paid at SMC L. Kind of do not want to rock the boat and this morning a VA rep (nice as she was) told me about opening my file. I am suspicious about what is going on here. Thanks for your input. HG

Hi, I am so glad someone can shed some light on my current situation: My MS is getting worse, I have been T & P since early 2003 and 2 years ago my dear husband quit his career to care for me. I have been considering filing for an increase (not counting on it but it would help so much). I have doubts now I should file because twice people have told me the VA or CDVA will go thru your file looking for things. What are they looking for? I have not done anything fraudulent and there is no cure for MS. Any advice will be appreciated. Than you so much. HG

Hi All, Thank you for responding. The director of the county VSO filled out the paperwork or EB for me about a year ago. Ihad a C and P with a neurologiust at Palo Alto and in due course was approved for SMC L1 but receive the amount for L. Whatever, better than nothing right? The country VSO received a promotion and he is gone. He had his stuff together so good for him. The EB crapped out after I entered my name, social security number (oh no) then gave about 6 choices to click on next. Never havng done this before I freaked out and backed out of the program. Since I am cheduled for a meet and greet with yet another primary care I figured I would see if this brand new facility has a VSO to help. I have local civilian doctors I have seen and I saw the VA neuro for 16 years solid before he retired. Thank you again my fellow Veterans. HG ...now if I can figure out how to put my pic on the site i'll be sitting in tall cotton.

Hello, I hope all is well. I started to use the ebennies to fill out my worsening conditions but the ebennies pooped out on me. Seems like a waste of time. Any opinions on whether I should ask a county VSO for help or call whomever about ebennies? Thank you. HG

Hello Berta, it is great to hear from you! I admit I am completely ignorant and confused about the SMC info---it is interesting though. Approx one year ago my dear husband decided to take care of me (we ain't rich so no outside caregiver plus my beloved man says (in jest) I would run them out of here with my outrageous demands!!!) Anyway, we went to the county director of Veterans and he filled out the paperwork using ebenefits. The Director is gone now. I received SMC L-1 and receive the amount for L. HMMMM. So I called the regiuonal and spoke to a very strident man who said the VA made a mistake. He then hung up on me. Bad day I guess. MS is broken down by body parts (I am sure Allan can explain it better). I have 1 at 60% which is my bladder (very common in MS to have bladder problems and I have big time bladder issues---there is medicine but the last time I took a toviaz I did not urinate for 18 hours. Very scary. Anyway, all my disabilities includiung asthma (10%) add up to 100%. It is so good to hear from you. Have a nice day! I like your photo---how do you put a photo there? I'd like to put min there on my profile. Thank you. HG Please do not price gauge in Texas, things are bad enuf. I have dear friends in Houston.

John999, Thank you for the advice...I saw my civilian GP a few weeks ago and she was shocked at the sounds coming from my lungs, especialy the wheezing. The local VA has me scheduled at the clinic in a few weeks to meet my third or fourth primary care doctor. I am hoping for the best. Thanks again. HG

Hi pwrslm, Thank you for the info and the link which I bookmarked. HG

Hi All, Long time since I have been on the board. Hello to old friends. I was discharged from military in 87 with asthma which has worsened considerably. The VA sends cough medicine (Robitussin) and inhalers. My civilian doctor gives the same. The MS sent me to the local ER a few months ago as I could not walk due to MS spasms. I called the Palo Alto VA within that 72 hour period to inform them. I still have intention tremor in my left arm, hand and legs. I also use a walker which is very helpful. My husband who is in his late fifties quit his job to care for me...he is not eligible for ss so we count our pennies so to speak. Any advice is appreciated. Hey Texas---hang tough.

Hi All, long time away from the board because of too many things to go into. I did receive either an L (per the Cal Dept of Veterans Affairs rep that I spoke to on the phone) BUT the ebennies has me rated as L 1. Confused and frustrated best describe me. Surely, there is an answer out there somewhere. This does not surprise me though as it seems it is SNAFU. Any commments would be appreciated. I hope you all are hanging in and hanging tough. Take Good care, Holllie P.S. I received a 60% rating (up from 20% I think) for my MS bladder issues. Thank you.

Hi, That is an inappropriate comment if I've heard one. My heavens, what a judgemental doctor. What an insulting thing to say to a Veteran. Hang in there but change doctors. This one is way out of line. HG

Hi Green, I am having cataract surgery through the choice program. No one called me, I had to do the calling, stressing out, and dealing with the civilian doctor. Lucky you, I would go for it. I am grateful for this program. HG

Hi Berta, It seems the care giver programs are for post 911 Veterans and I am a pre-911 Veteran. I always thought a Veteran was a Veteran. On a side note...I called the "crown jewel" neurology dept. and their voice mail machine is on. Unbelievable. This is how people become cynical, jaded, and disillusioned, in my opinion. Have a good weekend. HG

Thank you for the link Berta, I will check it out. The VA rep (at the 1-800 number) told me my hubby and I could go to the closest clinic and ask for a form he can fill out. I posed a scenario to her (we walk in, explain what we need and they will give us the form and she said "yes", somehow I doubt this. Although the rep was as helpful as she could be she thought my husband was the veteran. Thank you again Berta. HG

Hi All, Hope everything is going ok. The more I search (online) the more disillusioned I become. The issue I am searching for is "spouse as caregiver for a pre-911 100% SC disabled veteran program" Does anyone have any info that would point me in the right direction? Also, this is for a SCI veteran (myself having MS I recently found out MS is considered a SCI) Thank you. HG

Hi, just an update on my ophthalmologist apt earlier today: my right eye has 20/400 visual acuity. That means my vision is severley impaired in my right eye. No kidding. I saw the VA clinic ophthalmologist who approved me to see the outside ophthalmologist. With numbers like this cataract surgery will soon be forthcoming. When I went to see the county VSO I told him of this situation and he said I could put in a claim for this as well but after the surgery the cataracts are gone so what is there to claim for.? Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thank you. Have a good weekend. HG

Thank you jefmil50. HG

Hi Chuck75, That is good news that your wife now has 20/20 vision!!! HG

Hi Berta, Seems I have some claiming to do in regard to the SMC K. That is so funny what you asked: "is it a boy or girl" :)))))) My left eye has a Crystalens which my husband insisted upon. They are not cheap; I would just like to have a lens that is clear so I can see clearly. I have been getting headaches because of the cloudiness in my right eye. This is through the Veterans Choice and I am the ophthalmologist's "guinea pig" or Veterans Choice. However, I seriously doubt Veterans Choice will pay for a Crystalens but that is okay. Now I am going to find out how to post a pic of myself like you and others have done. Have a good day Berta. HG

Hi again Berta, Please be careful on that ladder. No one needs any falls. The VSO did not mention that but he was swamped that day (I was his 12th Veteran) so we will see how this thing goes. He was insistent I was receiving SMC K and when I told him I was not he plugged in my SSN and confirmed to himself that I was not getting it. He said he would work on it. We will see. Is it true that when you are rated 100% P&T you receive SMC K? Be careful painting and thank you for replying to my posts and posting the NIH link. HG

Hi Berta, Thank you for reading and replying to my post. I am glad your cataract surgery worked out great for you. I had the cataracts removed from my left eye 3 years ago and it was exciting in that I could hear everything that was going on and even asked the anesthesiologist if things were going ok to which he said "yes, all is ok Holly" Medical advances are amazing. The opthomologist said there was a possibility "posterior subcapsular cataracts" would develop. They have. Before this surgery was approved I went to the local VA clinic and had the entire exam and the VA opthomologist informed me about the subcapsular ones. HG

Hi All, Happy February 2016. After much jumping thru hoops, and an exam by a VA ophthalmologist at a clinic I was approved for cataract removal surgery by a local ophthalmologist. There seemed to be confusion at the local doctor's office but I provided them with copies of the approval letter and the choice card. If I have to be the "test subject" for this process, so be it. Tenacity, perseverance, and calling the several numbers on the documents and choice card is key. Sure it ate up my morning and bled into early afternoon but better safe than stuck with a bill I am not responsible for. Also, don't forget about the "surgery center" when dealing with this...that is covered as well. Have a good day. HG